2 Chronicles

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, with some of the Meunites, started to make war on Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat received the following message: “A large army is advancing against you from Edom, from the other side of the sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar, that is, Engedi.”

Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the Lord for guidance. Then, he ordered that a fast be observed throughout the country.

Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord. They came seeking the Lord’s guidance from every single town in Judah.

Then Jehoshaphat stood before this assembly of the people of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord’s house, before the new court

and said: “The Lord, God of our ancestors, are you not the God who dwells in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the world? Such power and might are in your hands that no one can oppose you.

Are you not our God, you who drove out the people who were living here before your people Israel and gave the land to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever?

They have settled in it and built a Sanctuary in it for your name,

saying, ‘Should disaster strike us, or war, punishment, epidemic, or famine, then we shall stand before this house and before you, for your Name rests on this house. We shall cry to you from the depths of our distress, and you will hear and save us.’

Here now are the Ammonites and Moab and the folk of Seir. When Israel came out of the land of Egypt, you would not let Israel invade them. Instead, Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them,

and this is how they reward us, by coming to drive us out of the possessions you have given us as our inheritance.

Will you, our God, not punish them since we are helpless in the face of this large army that attacks us? We do not know what to do but look to you.”

Judah’s men, even down to their youngest children and wives, stood at the house.

In the middle of the assembly, the spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah the Levite, one of the sons of Asaph.

And he cried:“Listen all you people of Judah and you who live in Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! The Lord says this to you: You must not be discouraged or afraid to face this large army; this battle is not yours but God’s.

March, out against them tomorrow. They are coming up by the Slope of Ziz, and you will come on them in the Valley of Soph, near the wilderness of Jeruel.

You will not need to fight there, but only take up your position, stand firm, and see what salvation the Lord has in store. Judah and Jerusalem, be fearless, be dauntless; go out to battle tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.”

Jehoshaphat bent his head, his face to the ground, and all Judah, with those who lived in Jerusalem, fell before the Lord, worshiping him.

Then the Levites—Kohathites and Korahites—began praising the Lord the God of Israel at the top of their voices.

They rose early in the morning and left for the wilderness of Tekoa. Jehoshaphat stood as they set out and said: “Listen to me, Judah, and all who live in Jerusalem! Put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will stand your ground; have faith in his prophets, and you will be successful.”

Then, having held a conference with the people, he ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march at the head of the army to sing praises to him: “Give praise to the Lord, for his love is everlasting.”

As they began to sing their joy and their praise, the Lord threw the invading armies into a panic and destroyed them. The Moabites and the Ammonites struck the people of Seir, and there was a disaster;

for the Ammonites and Moabites turned on the mountain folk of Seir in savage fighting, and after they had destroyed them, they began to kill one another.

When the men of Judah reached the spot that looked out on the wilderness and turned to face the enemy, they found only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

Jehoshaphat came with his troops to plunder them and found quantities of cattle, goods, clothing, and valuables. They collected more than they could take away. The loot was so plentiful that it took three days to gather it.

On the fourth day, they assembled in the Valley of Berakah; they praised the Lord for all he had done there. Because of this, the valley was named the Valley of Berakah, a name that remains to this day.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin, with Jehoshaphat at their head, went back joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had filled them with joy at the expense of their enemies.

To the music of harp and lyre and trumpet, they came to Jerusalem and the Lord’s house.

When the kingdoms of foreign countries heard how the Lord defeated Israel’s enemies; they were terrified.

In the meantime, the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was calm, and God granted him peace on every side.

Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, Shilhi’s daughter.

He followed the example of his father, Asa, without wavering, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

The high places, however, were not destroyed. The people had still not turned their hearts to the God of their ancestors.

The rest of the history of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, is recorded in the Annals of Jehu, son of Hanani, which have been transcribed into the Book of the Kings of Israel.

After this, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, allied himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who led him into evil ways.

He combined with him to build large ships that would sail to Tarshish. These were built at Ezion-geber.

Eliezer, son of Dodavahu of Mareshah, then made a prophecy against Jehoshaphat: “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your plans.” The ships broke up and were never fit to sail to Tarshish.